There are only just a handful of races that come along that bring a tear to your eye and a 
smile on your face. Many race fans think back to the 2001 Daytona 500 win for Michael Waltrip or the 2001 Atlanta win that Kevin Harvick had just four weeks after the death of Dale Earnhardt. For me, just recently, it was the Daytona 500 win for my favorite driver of 10+ years Matt Kenseth.
The 2009 Pennsylvania 500 race goes into this category, as Denny Hamlin roared across the finish line to capture his first win of the 2009 season. The emotional win came on the heals of the passing of his beloved grandmother. His grandmother, Thelma Clark, died Friday at the age of 91. Hamlin wanted more than anything to be in Florida with his family during the emotional time, but he knew he had to conduct business and go to work; andboy did he work. With tears flowing like Amazon River, Hamlin raised his hands in victory and salute to his grandmother.”We definitely had some angels with us”, Hamlin said.
Today, we also saw two savvy veteran drivers not let major problem get to them and perseverance paying off in the end. Tony Stewart had been rewarded the pole position, only to be forced to the tail end of the pack after crashing in practice. Jimmie Johnson also had his fair share of struggles, as engine problems kept him from capturing the checkered flag. But, thanks to perseverance and good pit strategy, both drivers managed to finish in the top 12.
Juan Pablo Montoyarebounded nicely, finishing 2nd at Pocono, followed by an impressive performance from Clint Bowyer, who finished third. Sam Hornish Jr finished fourth followed by the red hot (not in that way!) Kasey Kahne who finished fifth. Brian Vickers, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch,and Tony Stewart rounded out the top 10 for this race.
Other notable finishes: Matt Kenseth (11), Jimmie Johnson (13), Ryan Newman (14), Greg Biffle (15), Kyle Busch (16), Carl Edwards (18), Joey Logano (27), Dale Earnhardt Jr (28), David Reuitmann (29).
Just six more races to go before The Chase for the Sprint Cup begins, andTony Stewart still sits atop the points standings with a 197 point lead over Jimmie Johnson. The final chase spot is tightening up, as Greg Biffle now occupies the final chase spot, only 99 points ahead of Kyle Busch, who is in the 13th position. Matt Kenseth had move up one spot to 11th, but he only hold that position by one point over his teammate Greg Biffle.
Next, the boys will head back to the road course, as they travel to Watkins Glen, NY.
